Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to be a writer. Luckily, self publishing options are so broad that I can easily make my dream happen by myself. All those stories about struggling authors fighting for a publishing deal seem like a thing of the past. However, it feels like something is missing. Call me old fashioned, but I always dreamed of seeing beautiful copies of my book on a bookstore shelf. I pictured my name on all those covers and people wondering who the new writer was.
Honestly, I miss that tangible aspect of the literary industry. Don’t get me wrong, I am a tablet owner and love technology just as much as the next guy. There’s no point in denying the practicality of purchasing an ebook and store your entire collection in one single device. In fact, I did some reasearch and found this CEA’s report, saying that 44% of online consumers in the US own a tablet. And PublishingTechnology.com states that 86% of Amazon’s best sellers list are ebooks. So, as much as I miss my paperbacks, it wouldn’t be too smart to ignore the growing digital reality.
The Process
My book is basically a compilation of short stories I’ve written from different life experiences. I see it as an opportunity to share something with my close friends and see how they react to my work. Once I realized an ebook was the best way to go, I started looking for great templates online. Trust me, you will find lots of them! Some for free, some for a reasonable fee. You probably already know about Hubspot and Lulu, so it’s all about browsing and choosing the one closest to your personal taste.
Same Eggs, Different Baskets
After much consideration and distribution lists, it occurred to me that I had missed something very important. I did need those print copies for a simple reason. And that is, not all of my friends own a tablet, nor are they willing to read a digital book. So much for my target audience analysis! You will find many book printing services and deals, but I went for an online printer and chose a booklet format. Primarily because I had printed other products with this company before and trusted their quality, but also because it was just easier, faster and fully customizable. You can click here to check out the online printer I used if you’re interested in making your own booklets or ezines too!
Lesson Learned
As you can see, there is no black and white here. It’s not about picking a side, but about choosing the best distribution channel to reach your potential readers. Getting an ebook and a few print copies provide a better opportunity to reach more people. The best part is that it is not that hard or expensive.
What about you? Do you prefer digital or print books? Leave a comment below and don’t hesitate to share your experiences with me. I want to know what you think!
Along came Kindle, followed by Nook and iPad, and suddenly, ebooks were back in favor again. As you've written, like YouTube for the music industry, electronic books are here to stay because of their convenience.
As for me, my paralysis (hands and arms) as well as neck strain causing numbness in my extremities has made it very difficult for the past 15 years for me to read hard copy unless the book opens flat on a desk, making it possible for me to keep the pages down--rather impossible with tightly bound paperbacks.
When I discovered Microsoft Word about 1985, I quickly abandoned paper and pen, secretaries and markups, and started doing all my writing on the computer. The ease of transport, editing, and formats for viewing have always made my reading easier on a computer than with a hard copy. Because my abs lost their stability about 1998, I lost the ability to hand write, even with my hand splint, but, thanks to the computer, I read more than ever, write prolifically with voice dictation, and find success as a writer.
I still have copies of my books in paperback that I scribble my signature on and mostly give away because their prices are set very high and most people willing to read my books don't have the price of admission. As you can see, I'm a happy camper because of the Internet electronic revolution.
Ron